Course Templates
Conditioning for Hiking and Backpacking - Level I
Learn exercises to strengthen major muscles used during hikes. Gain mobility, stability, and strength to hike with ease and help prevent unnecessary falls and injuries this hiking season.
Backpack Leaders' Badge Course - Foothills
Earn your backpacking leaders' badge via a group experience with other aspiring leaders. The course will include: a plenary lecture and hands-on leader training in the field via "Small Instructional Groups" (SIG). Experienced backpacking leaders will walk the student/mentees through the process of becoming a badged leader and oversee their Mentored-led trip.
Ultralight Backpacking Gear and Strategies - Foothills
This course introduces principles, tools and gear options to dramatically shrink the weight of your overnight pack, including a hands-on clinic at Seattle Program Center and a 'practice' camp' at a local park.
Shoulder-Season Backpacking - Foothills
You can backpack eight or more months out of the year--right here in Washington State. Learn how to envision, plan and lead rewarding backpacking trips during the early Spring and later Fall months of the year. Field trips will be provided to give you a taste of early season backpacking and its many rewards. A list of proven trip options will be provided. This course is both for Mountaineers leaders and participants that want to extend their backpacking season and explore new options.
Off-Trail Backpacking - Foothills
Ever get the itch to leave the establish trail to see what is over that enticing ridge, explore close by but off-trail meadows or lakes or maybe reach the top of that nearby peak while out backpacking? This course will present both vision and instruction in recognizing off-trail options, making a workable plan to reach them and then safely reaching these destinations that appear to be out of reach on the normal established trails. We will explore finding unpublished trails, way-trails and routes: connecting known but disjointed trails and trailheads and finding suitable camps off-the beaten track (and trail). (Note: the Mountaineers Backpacking Standard allows off-trail travel as long as the terrain doesn't require rock or snow skills beyond T3 or specialized gear such as snowshoes, helmet, crampons or ice axe to complete the route safely. Microspikes may be required.)